USS Windlass (ARS(D)-4), a Gypsy-class salvage lifting vessel of the United States Navy, was originally conceived as LSM-552 and laid down on 27 August 1945 at Houston, Texas, by Brown Shipbuilding Corporation.

Following further alterations and trials, Windlass shifted to Galveston, Texas, on 13 December, en route to her home port, Charleston, South Carolina.

The two ships departed the tidewater area for Bayonne, New Jersey, on 18 June, before they shifted to Narragansett Bay to salvage the tug One Wolf (YTB-179) — sunk in a collision in December 1946.

Windlass apparently shifted briefly to Norfolk, for the same reason before both heavy-lifting salvage vessels returned to the site of the sunken YP off Hereford, New Jersey, on 1 October.

Windlass underwent a regular overhaul at the Charleston Naval Shipyard in April 1948, during which time she received additional radio and electronic gear and heavier anchors.

Hurricane Carol interrupted operations as she swept through the area on 30 and 31 August, but both salvage vessels rode out the storm without damage, despite the force 5 winds.

Windlass conducted mooring operations with USCG Tug 8188 and YTB-541 at Little Placentia Sound, NS Argentia, Newfoundland, in late May before returning to Bayonne on 1 June.

During that time, a heavy storm with winds up to 80 knots passed through the area, forcing Windlass to shift her mooring to deeper water where her anchors would hold.

For the remainder of 1949, Windlass operated in company with Salvager, at Norfolk, Bayonne, and in the Little Creek, Delaware area, before both ships underwent availability alongside Amphion (AR-13) at Charleston.

After conducting a channel survey at Charleston, in April, Windlass returned to the Hampton Roads area, where she was present when the seaplane tender Valcour (AVP-55) caught fire on 14 May 1951.

Windlass rendered fire fighting assistance, pumped necessary compartments dry, and maintained flooding boundaries while rigging temporary gasoline lines and removing the volatile aviation gas from the seaplane tender's storage tanks.

After leaving the shipyard, Windlass conducted diving operations off Cape Charles, Virginia before she proceeded to Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, to assist in rigging YC-1060 for technical tests.

Two days later, while the salvage ship and her charge were en route to their destination, an explosion occurred in Windlass port engine crankcase, injuring one man and starting a fire.

Crash boats from NAS, Atlantic City, New Jersey, assisted Windlass in the dragging operations begun that same day and located the plane, minus its tail section, soon thereafter.

After salvaging a target raft at Newport News, Virginia, Windlass pulled the grounded yacht Boudoin off the south shore of the Potomac River on 18 February before resuming local operations that carried into the summer of 1953.

Windlass emerged from her overhaul in early October and proceeded thence to St. Thomas and Roosevelt Roads, where the ship assisted in underwater explosive experiments in November.

Shifting back to Norfolk, Windlass served as standby and duty salvage vessel there into the spring of 1954, recovering several practice mines and anchors during that time.

Although the Navy salvage effort was initially successful in raising the sunken vessel, Turbatross' hull warped badly and sank again when a sling strap parted.

She later conducted exercises with Salvager before returning to Norfolk for diver qualifications; she was preparing to enjoy Christmas liberty when an emergency work request to raise the sunken YSD-56 came through.

At 2315 that evening, Commander, Service Force, Atlantic Fleet, sent a dispatch releasing Windlass from recovery operations so that all hands could enjoy the Christmas holidays.

In July 1965, the ship's home port was changed from Little Creek, to Davisville, R.I. No sooner had she shifted her base northward when she was called to the Mississippi River on salvage alert due to the passage of Hurricane Betsy.

Re-classified as a medium salvage craft on 16 October 1967 and given the hull number YMLC-4, Windlass was placed in service with Advanced Bases, Pacific area, but was used minimally in ensuing years.

Since replacement craft attained superior lift capability, the need for Windlass' services diminished; she was accordingly struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 August 1972 and sold on 6 March 1973 to the Union Minerals & Alloys Corporation, New York City, where she was cut up for scrap.